Edwin g



(No Model.)

B. G. CKEL.

WHIF L E HOOK. X No. 484,746. Patented Oct. 18, 1892.

ma i.

wiimm UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

EDWIN G. QUICKEL, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

WHlFFLETREE-HOOK.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,746, dated October 18, 1892.

Application filed May 7, 1892- Serial No. 432,129. (No model.)

To 00% whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN G. QUIoKEL, a citizen of theUnitedStates, residingatYork, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Whiffletree-Hooks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to what are known as whiflletree-hooks, being devices for readily securing atrace upon a whiffietree or withdrawing it' from the same, as use may require.

The object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which shall be readily manipulated, will not be liable to choke from the accumulation of foreign matter, and will be simple in construction.

The various features of novelty will be hereinafter more fully described, and definitely indicated in the claims appended to this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure l is a sectional view of the end of a whiffletree with my im proved device attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the several parts of the hook and its operating attachments.

A. represents a metallic socket provided with a neck at B to accommodate the eye of the trace and having upon the inside a spur O. This spur is preferably made integral with the body of the shell or socket by casting. Through the neck B of the shell projects the stem D of the hook or button E, which is of a shape to permit the eye of the trace to pass readily over it when in alignment with the same, but to prevent the trace from slipping off when the hook or button lies with its longer axis at right angles to the length of the eye. The stem D is preferably formed integral with the hook E. The socket may be secured upon the whiftletree by means of a screw F, passing through a hole drilled near the end of the socket.

On the end of the stem D is screwed a disk G, which is provided with a ridge, as shown at H, adapted to engage a recess formed in a sleeve I, loose upon the stem D. This sleeve I is provided with a slot, as shown at J, the walls of which engage the spur or projection O. A spiral spring K surrounds the stem D, bearing against a shoulder of the socket at one end and against the sleeve I at the other end, thus forcing it into engagement with the disk Gr. The face of the sleeve I which co-operates with the disk is provided with four notches, two of which straddle the pro jection H in one position of adjustment and the other two, preferably arranged at right angles to the first set, straddle it in another position of adjustment. p, p

In assembling the parts the spring and sleeve are dropped in place upon the stem D and the disk G is then screwed upon the end of the stem,the latter being then upset or headed, so as to firmly lock the disk to the stem. From this construction it will be understood that the button or hook E may be turned in either direction, the sleeve I being held from turning by the projection C, but free to move longitudinally along the stem of the hook. This longitudinal movement permits the ridge on the disk G'to ride out of one set of grooves into another, and thus the button E may be shifted to a position in which its longer axis will be in alignment with the eye of the trace, and after the trace is slipped over theneck of the socket a quarter-twist to the right or left will prevent its displacement, and the ridge H, falling into co-operating notches in the sleeve, will hold the hook in a position of safety until a twisting force is applied by the fingers to remove it. Either the ridge H or the notches in the sleeve I should have inclined faces. In the drawings both are shown as being inclined, and this is the preferred construction. It will thus be seen that the locking mechanism is entirely within the socket and is protected from being clogged by an accumulation of mud, dirt, ice, or any other material which might interfere with its convenient operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters spur C, mounted in the socket and engaging Patent, is-

a, groove in the movable member. A whiflietree-hook comprising a socket A, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in button E, provided with a stem D, projecting presence of two witnesses. 5 through a, neck formed on the end of the EDWIN G. QUIOKEL.

socket, a. locking device comprising the two Witnesses:

members G I, one fixed to the stem and the EDWD. CHAPIN,

other movable thereon, spring K, and the I A. B. NEIMAN. 

